Floor-protecting attachment for furniture.



E. SCHAUERMANN.

FLOOR PROTECTING ATTACHMENT FOR FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 1915.

1,221,225. Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

ZZZMQZ Safiazwzwwm EZTATES PATENT OFFIGEL EDWARB SCHAUERMAN N, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNQR TO THE HOLD FAST CASHIER- UUP COMPANY, A COPABTNEESHIP CONSISTING 01- SAID SCHAUERMANN AND GEGRG-E A. RAJKMIHG.

FLO0B-PBOTEGTING ATTAGHMENT FOR FURNITURE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enwafnn SCHAUER- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor-Protecting Attachments for Furniture; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in floor protecting and noise deadening attachments for furniture.

The object of the invention is to provide a silencing and floor protecting attachment for furniture which may bereadily applied and removed and yet will remain securely in place when the article to which it is attached, is lifted.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is so constructed as to prevent slipping of the article to which it is applied andgwhich is especially designed for use on furniture equipped with casters.

With the above and other objects in view. the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combination herein described and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein a Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a portion of a piano equipped'with this improved attachment;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail showing the attachment in transverse section;

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on a plane at right angles to Fig. 2;

Fig. l is a perspective view of the attachment with the parts thereof detached and arranged in juxtaposition ready for assembling; T

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing a slightly different form of attaching plate;

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the plate in operative position in the cap.

i Fig. 7 is a detail view partly in section showing another way in which my invention can be used.

In the embodiment illustrated, the device is shown applied to a piano P but it is to be understood that it may be used on furniture of all kinds having either legs or casters, or both but is especially designed for use on Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

Application filed February 4,1915. Serial m. 6,1 10.

casters. The silencing and anti-scratching device comprising this invention, is shown in the form of a cup-shaped member or cap 1 having a flat surface engaging face or bot tom 2 which is designed to fit snugly against the floor to hold the device against slipping after the article on which it is mounted, has been positioned and a caster wheel receiving socket 2' in its top. This cap I may be con.- structed of wood, rubber or any suitable nonscratching material such as could be moved over hard wood'floors without marl-ing them.

Mounted in the cap is aplate ,3 which is annular in form and provided with a central opening land on its edge at diametrically opposite points with spring clamping fingers or platesli. The annular plate 3 is of a size to snugly fit the walls of the opening 2 in the cap as shown in Fig. 3 and if desired, it may be more effectively secured by the use of screws passed through openings in the plate as will be readily understood on reference to Figs. 3 and a. The spring clamping plates 5 are adapted to frictionally engage and adhere to the article to. which the device is applied. As shown they engage a caster which consists of the usual shank or fork S swiveled to an article of furniture P and a roller or wheel C journaled in the shank. Said. plates 5 are of a length to project above the upper surface of the cap 1 and normally spring inwardly into converging relation so that they may effectively grip a portion of the caster at a point of less width or thickness than some point below the upper extremities of the plates as will be understood on reference to Fig. 2 which shows said plates 5 gripping the shank S at a point above the journal of the casterwheel C. By having the plates 5 project above the top of the cap 1 and of a length greater than the radius of the caster wheel as shown in Fig. 2, they will be able to have their upper extremities grip some portion of the caster which is of less width or thickness than some point below and then will thus eflectively hold the device in position. To aid the clamping plates 5 in gripping the caster, the openingi i in theplates 3 is preferably of a size su cient to receive the caster wheel C which latter tends to prevent shifting of the cap on the caster. lVhen applied, the plates 5 are under tension so that the entire device will cling to the leg or caster when the article of furniture is lifted, thus-preventing the displacement of the device from the article of furniture when it is moved. This is especially desirable when the invention is applied to a heavy article such as a piano or to a chair. or table that is frequently moved about the room. These clamping plates 5' are preferably rectangular in form to afford an extended engaging surface and they may be flat or curved transversely as hereinafter described.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the plate 3 is constructed similarly'to the plate 3 of the other figures, the only difference being that the spring clamping fingers or plates 5 which project upwardly from the periphery thereof, are curved transversely to adapt them to snugly fit the Walls of the cap 1, thereby frictionally securing a said plate within said cap and avoiding the necessity of using attaching screws.

The use of this cap will be obvious without a detail description, it being of course understood that the plate 3 is first secured in the cap 1 and the leg or caster to which it is to be applied is inserted in the cap between the fingers 5, with the bottom of the leg or the lower edge of'the caster resting in the opening or seat 4 and with the s ring plates 5'engaging some portion of the l eg or caster at opposite points as heretofore de scribed.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings the spring plates 5 are shown engaging the periphery of the caster wheel 0, the upper portions of said plates engaging the wheel at a point above its horizontal axis so that the device will be eflectively retained in position.

I claim as my invention The herein described floor protector to against the bottom thereof and with its edge engaging the side wall of said socket, rectan- .gular spring clamping plates formed integ'ral with the edge of said central plate portion at diametrically opposite points and inclined upwardly and inwardly at oblique angles to said central plate portion, said clamping plates projecting above the top of the cap and being of a ength greater than the radius of the caster wheel inserted in said socket to provide for the effective clamping engagement of the upper extremities of said plates with a portion of the caster at points above the horizontal axis of the caster Wheel, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD SGHAUERMANN. Witnesses:

J. H. THoMPsoN, C. G'IOVANNE'I'I'I. 

